The Levity Files
by MyImmortal329
Summary: A series of fun (and sexy) moments between our favorite duo. (Caryl)
1. Chapter 1: The Bickersons

The Levity Files

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing from The Walking Dead.

Warning: Lots of cuteness and fluffiness in these chapters. Naughty bits, too. Rated M!

Author's Note: These drabbles will not necessarily run on any certain time line. Just fun, cuteness between our favorites.

Chapter 1: The Bickersons

When Carol came back home on her lunch break, Daryl was still sitting on the porch working with the string of his crossbow. She smiled a little, cocking her head to the side as she watched the sweat bead at his temple.

"You gonna just sit out here all day?"

"Why not? It's a nice day, ain't it?"

"Maybe you oughta turn and face the other way. Let the sun cook the other half of you."

"Funny. That part of your new disguise?" He blinked up at her from under his mop of hair, and she squinted into the sunlight before sitting down on the porch step, keeping a little distance between the two of them.

"Oh, just wait until you see what I've picked out for tomorrow," she said with a grin. "You'll love it. It's even more _ridiculous_ than this one_."_

"You fishin' for an apology?"

"Me? Of course not? I know how ridiculous I look. But you? Have you looked in a mirror? I might be ridiculous, but I don't smell like I had raw opossum for breakfast."

"That was yesterday," he pointed out.

"Exactly." She made a face. Daryl shrugged and put his crossbow down. "Well, I'd better find something for lunch before I get back to cooking for the old folks."

"Sure ya don't need to raid old Mrs. Miller's closet? I hear she's got some great tweed jackets that'd look great with those pants." Carol snorted at that.

"Yuk it up, Dixon. Go take a shower."

"You tryin' to get me naked?" he asked, his ears practically glowing red as he stared at her in that ridiculous get up. Carol just flashed him her best fake smile and walked toward the front door. Before she walked inside, she turned and eyed him.

"When I want you naked, you'll know it." And then she disappeared into the house, leaving Daryl with red cheeks and a stirring deep in his belly. He snorted and shook his head, grabbing his crossbow again. He tried to focus on getting back to whatever the hell it was he'd been doing before Carol came sauntering up, but he just couldn't seem to remember. And then, he sniffed, making a face and lifting his arm, realizing that the awful smell was coming from him. Ok, so a shower couldn't hurt, right?


	2. Chapter 2: Smells Like Sunshine

Chapter 2: Smells Like Sunshine

"Jesus! Fuck!" Daryl nearly jumped out of his skin as the cold flood of water poured over his face. He sputtered and sat up from his bedroll on the back porch. The others had complained about the stench and had forced him to sleep outside, and while he had no problems with it, Carol had decided to make good on her threat.

She stood over him with a water hose and a smirk on her face. The sun had just come up, and Daryl Dixon's wakeup call was a fresh shower of cold water right in his face.

"Morning, Pookie," she said with a casual head tilt and a smile so sweet it was sinister. Daryl pushed his soaking hair out of his face and glared at her as she stood before him in a pair of mom jeans and yellow sweater with little blue birdies embroidered all over it.

"Nana?" he snickered, silently thinking she was the hottest fucking 'nana' he'd ever seen. She doused him again. "Shit! Carol!"

"I warned you," she said with a shrug, dropping the hose to the porch floor with a thud. She reached over and picked up a basket, sitting it down next to him on the porch. "The shower's free, so you'd better get in there before Michonne gets started. She used all the hot water last time."

"The hell is this shit?" he muttered, opening the cap to one of the bottles. He took a whiff and winced, peering up at her uncertainly. "Smells like happiness and sunshine. Cutesy girly shit."

"It's all we have, but it's better than smelling like 'catch of the day.'"

"It ain't that bad."

"Daryl, trust me," she urged, taking a step back as he stood and advanced toward her. "It's bad. The ladies are looking. Trust me. They're looking. But from a distance." Daryl eyed her.

"What ladies?"

"Exactly. They're afraid to approach you, because, well, you stink." She smiled awkwardly at him.

"Don't care what they think," he scoffed, heading toward the door. Nope, he didn't care what they thought, at all. He did care what she thought, though. The next time she saw him, he was squeaky clean, all pink and fresh, smelling like happiness and sunshine.


	3. Chapter 3: Whoops

Chapter 3: Whoops

Carol didn't have to be at the kitchen until later, as some of the older folks were having a bingo tournament after breakfast, and lunch was being pushed back until later. Everybody else was out of the house, doing their various tasks, and when she slipped out of her bedroom to sneak into the bathroom for a relaxing, hot shower, she had much more in mind than just getting clean.

All she could think about was the way Daryl had been staring at her last night at dinner. It was this intense, desirous stare that made every nerve in her body tingle. The ache between her legs had been throbbing ever since, and that morning, she'd finally done something about it with the help of her trusty, purple vibrator, something she'd picked up on the way to Alexandria.

But it had only partly satisfied her, and she knew the one thing she was craving she wasn't going to get. So with a sigh, she resigned herself to turning on the hot water, slipping out of her robe and pulling herself into the shower, running her hands over her bare body, feeling her hard nipples under her fingertips before she moved her hands lower, roaming them over her thighs and the lower part of her belly.

She moaned softly, rubbing her fingers between her legs, her breath catching in her throat as she felt a jolt through her core. And then the doorknob jostled. She rubbed her hand against the steamed up shower door, eyes wide as the door creaked open.

"Someone's in here!" she called out. And that's when two surprised eyes peeked out from behind a curtain of hair. "Daryl?!"

"Shit," he muttered, his eyes traveling down to the most perfect breasts he'd ever seen pressed against a shower door. He stood there with a pack slung over his bare shoulder and a towel wrapped around his waist. "I…fuck."

"Didn't you hear the water running?" she asked, quickly moving to cover herself and back up against the shower wall, letting the steam mask her body.

"No," he choked out, one hand on the doorknob, the other dropping his pack to the floor before moving downward to cover the lift in the towel from his obvious erection. Her gaze traveled there briefly, before she ran her fingers through her damp hair.

"For an expert huntsman and tracker, your hearing's gone to shit since we've been here, you know that?" she asked, eyeing him warily as he lingered in the doorway. As pissed off as she'd wanted to sound, she couldn't deny that her core was still throbbing, and that ache between her legs wasn't going to go away any time soon.

"I'm sorry. I…I thought everybody was gone."

"Yeah, so did I," she choked out, shivering as the air in the shower stall cooled around her.

"You use all the hot water?" he asked dumbly, trying to stare at her face and not at the soft patch of hair between her thighs that became more visible as the steam on the door began to fade away.

"Almost," she shrugged. She watched him shift uncomfortably, but he wasn't turning away. This was new. She quirked an eyebrow. "Maybe for the sake of water conservation, we could share the rest of the hot water?" She watched as the redness spread from Daryl's cheeks to his ears and then he made some sort of low groan in the back of his throat.

"You serious?"

"I'm standing here naked, and you're hiding something under that towel. I don't think it gets more serious than that, do you?" A smile turned in the corner of her mouth, and Daryl suddenly felt like he was inside ever bad porno his brother had made him watch growing up. But his dick didn't care. His dick was totally on board.

She opened the shower door, waiting for him. _Fuck. She is serious_. But he didn't turn to leave. He stepped into the bathroom, shutting the door and clicking the lock into place. He made his way over, and Carol reached out, running her fingers along the edge of the towel before she pulled it away. His cock bobbed in front of him, strong and proud, and she visibly shuddered, her eyes fluttering closed as he closed the gap between them, reaching behind her to turn the hot water back on.

"The hell are we doin'?" he asked, when her hands moved up his abs and over his chest.

"I don't know," she chuckled, as his hands moved down her sides and over her hips. She felt good against his hands, and he suddenly wanted to keep touching her forever. "Should we stop?"

"I dunno," he muttered, his mouth just a breath from hers. As her hands moved over his biceps, he grew a little bolder, bringing his hands around to cup her ass, pulling her closer. She moaned softly when she felt his erection against her thigh, and she looked up into his eyes through damp eyelashes, sliding her tongue across her lips. "Don't wanna." His words made her smile, and she took the next step, tentatively brushing her lips against his, igniting a fire in him.

She gasped when he pushed her back against the shower wall, pressing himself against her, his body shuddering, aching for her to touch him, too. And as quickly as his lips were on hers, something else happened. A bang on the door.

"You almost done in there?!" Carol gasped against Daryl's mouth, and she quickly reached around to cut the water off. He backed away from her, and they both stared at each other a little wide-eyed.

"What?" she called out, hoping she was the one their visitor thought was in there.

"Carol, I gotta _go!_"

"Carl?"

"Yeah."

"Use the downstairs bathroom," she urged.

"Dad's in there. It's gonna be a while." Daryl snorted at that, and Carol made a face.

"Ok. Uh, go next door and use theirs. I don't think they'll mind."

"But…"

"Carl, go on!" she ordered. "I'm in the shower!" She heard a heavy sigh outside the door before the footsteps retreated. Daryl was the first to start laughing, leaning his forehead against her shoulder. Then she couldn't help but giggle, and she kissed her way up his neck and back to his mouth.

"Probably a bad idea, anyway," she murmured. He gave her a little shrug.

"Nah. Just not the best timing." He saw her blush at the realization that he truly did want this and was maybe even willing to give it another try sometime.

"You better sneak out first," she whispered. "My room's right next door. You can dress there." Daryl nodded quickly, sneaking one last chaste kiss against her cheek before scrambling out of the shower and gathering his towel and his pack off the floor. And then he was gone, and Carol leaned against the shower wall, her chest heaving as she fought to regain control of her faculties. But the longer she stood there, the wider her smile became, and then she slid down onto the shower floor, covering her face with her hands and laughing at the absurdity of it all.

And then she quickly sobered, the gears turning in her head, her mind wandering back to his gorgeous physique, the way he felt pressed against her, the way she reacted to the feeling of him, heavy and hard against her thigh.

Her legs trembled, and she bit her lip, a soft moan escaping. This wasn't over. Not by a long shot. And as she pulled herself up, she felt her heart flutter in her chest, and she quickly dressed before heading off to go about her day, knowing all too well her mind would be far from her work and focused solely on a certain long-haired archer with the body of a god.


	4. Chapter 4: Awkward

Chapter 4: Awkward

Carol had made herself busy when she got home from her kitchen duties. She'd passed Daryl working on the bike in Aaron and Eric's garage, and she'd felt the bundle of nerves coil up in her stomach. So, she'd not stopped to say anything. She'd hurried home and busied herself with organizing things in her room, a meaningless task these days, but it was something.

She had a special drawer on her nightstand for her weapons, all in a row, gleaming and deadly. She ran her fingertips over them gingerly before closing the drawer. She opened the top drawer where her purple vibrator stood out from everything else. Blushing, she covered it with a cloth and set it to the side. Her heart hammered against her chest. Her whole body was on fire. She needed relief now more than ever since her surprising shower guest that morning, and now she felt even more frustrated than before.

Biting her lip, she reached back into the drawer and picked up the vibrator. She was no stranger to them, having used them for her primary satisfaction in the last years of her marriage, having had to hide to hide hers in a shoebox in the closet to keep Ed from ever knowing.

She was throbbing now, her breath hitching in her chest. And just as she was about to turn to go lock her door, she came face to face with Daryl, and she just about jumped a mile off the floor.

"Oh my God!" she hissed, more mortified now than she had been this morning when he'd seen her naked in the shower. "Daryl Dixon, have you completely forgotten how to knock?!" Daryl's expression went to one of confusion to embarrassment when he saw what she held in her hand. She quickly stuffed the item into the back of the drawer before giving it a good slam shut.

"Shit. Is that…"

"My vibrator? Yes, Daryl. Yes it is," she deadpanned, her eyes narrow, her throat closing up as if she were having some kind of anaphylactic episode. She decided she was allergic to these awkward run-ins with Daryl, because they'd taken a fucking shower together for God's sakes, and it hadn't been enough. Now, as she looked into his eyes and saw the redness creeping across his face, all she could think about was his dick standing at attention and pressing against her in the shower that morning and how all she wanted to do was feel him inside of her, fucking her, easing all of her frustrations in one wildly untamed fuck.

"I didn't mean to…I'm sorry."

"Are you?" she asked.

"I…"

"Why'd you come up here?"

"Was lookin' for ya. Thought you might wanna talk about this morning."

"This morning? Hmm. What about this morning? The fact that you walked in on me or the fact that we groped each other in the shower for a few minutes?" His ears were red now, and her core was on fire.

"Well…both, I guess. I…"

"I don't wanna talk." Her voice was low, and her gaze fell to his mouth.

"Me neither," he murmured, entranced by the way her tongue slid out against her lips. His hands moved to rest on her hips, his gaze leveling into hers, gauging her reaction. It was all she needed. She reached around him, locking the door, and then his mouth was on hers, and they were pulling at one another's shirts, shedding them like old skin, fumbling toward Carol's bed in clumsy, broken steps.

By the time Carol stumbled back against the mattress, and Daryl's hands were sliding her pants down, shedding her of that ridiculous costume, she had a fire in her eyes he'd never seen before, a fire he hoped to see again quite frequently for the rest of their lives.

"Now," she moaned, her voice low and thick with need.

"Fuck," he groaned, unbuttoning his jeans and sliding them down as she kneeled on all fours on the mattress. His dick twitched as he took it in his hand, giving it a couple of pumps for good measure. Carol grabbed the headboard, peeking over her shoulder at him as he knelt behind her on the bed, his jeans sagging low around his knees as he pulled himself against her.

Never in a million years would he have expected Carol would want it like this, that she'd be ready for him so quickly. He slid his hand up the front of her thigh, detouring to her stomach and up to her bare breasts, grasping one in his hand, giving it a firm squeeze as Carol wriggled her ass against him. He about lost it in that moment, but he shifted up and grabbed her around the waist with one arm to steady them both, while his other hand moved down between her legs, stroking her.

She cried out as his fingers circled her clit, and she bit her lip, leaning back slightly against his shoulder as he dipped a finger into her soaking center. His mouth was on hers, kissing her as he touched her, as he pressed into her from behind, and she moaned this low, guttural sound that he'd never heard out of her, one he wanted to hear again and again as she moaned his name. He couldn't take it anymore, and neither could she, apparently.

"Now," she hissed through her teeth, giving Daryl's bottom lip a little tug as she wrapped one arm around his neck anchoring herself as he pressed his stomach against her back, his cock sliding between her legs. He was coated with her now, and he gently bit down against her shoulder, muffling his pleasure as he positioned himself and slid home, filling her, feeling her muscles flutter and spasm around him.

She cried out, bucking backward as he filled her. That tight, burning ache was something she hadn't expected as she adjusted to his size, but it was so good. So worth it. She tightened her hold around his neck with one arm as she squeezed the headboard, white-knuckling it as he thrust into her. And then she let her arm fall from his neck and held onto the headboard for dear life, meeting his thrusts with her own enthusiastic movements, crying out as he held onto her hips, his pelvis connecting with her ass as he plunged into her completely.

"Harder," she found herself gritting out through her teeth as his fingers moved to circle her clit once again. He did as she asked, picking up the speed a little as she slumped over the pillows, burying her cries into them.

The feeling of her wrapped around him was the most intense, erotic thing he'd never experienced, but it wasn't quite enough. He needed to see her.

"C'mere, sweetheart," he murmured, slowing his pace before pulling out of her. She whimpered when he left her, but then he was turning her, and she was staring up at him, chest heaving and flushed, lips swollen from his kisses and from her biting down on them to quiet herself.

She brought her hands up his arms as he settled between her legs, letting her wrap herself around him before he pushed into her again. She sighed softly, arching back and enjoying this newness, pulling herself up to kiss him before collapsing back against the mattress, reaching up to push his hair from his eyes so she could see his face.

And she smiled up at him with this beaming smile, this smile that made him wonder why the hell they hadn't been doing this all along. He dipped down, kissing the valley between her breasts as his hips rolled against hers. She cried out his name on the cusp of an orgasm, and he slowed his pace, making this less about a fuck and more about showing her that this was exactly what they'd been missing. And she clutched at his back, her arms limp and weak around his broad shoulders as she felt all of the energy escaping her. She arched back and cried out against his lips, falling over the edge and bringing him with her.

When he slumped on top of her, he buried his face against her neck, and she stroked his back as their breaths filled the silence in the room in quick little pants and gasps. And soon, they relaxed, and he pulled himself off of her, laying down at her side and turning to face her. She turned in time to see his eyes beg the question that didn't need to be spoken. She brushed her fingertips against his cheek and gave him a little nod to tell him that it was ok. Everything was ok. They were ok.

And then they fell asleep, wrapped in an embrace, and for the first time since they'd arrived in Alexandria, they both truly slept in the comfort of knowing they had each other and they were safe. Together.


	5. Chapter 5: Ass Kicker

Chapter 5: Ass Kicker

"You gotta be kidding me," Daryl muttered as Rick draped the diaper bag over his friend's arm after coming down the stairs and handed him a sleepy Judith.

"You're my last hope," Rick urged. "Everybody else is busy, and well, you're not."

"Ain't nobody else? Not even Jessie?" Rick shifted uncomfortably, and Daryl sighed. "I don't babysit."

"Carol's around here somewhere. You need help, just ask her."

"I know how to take care of a kid. Just ain't my first choice," Daryl muttered. Rick nodded slowly.

"There's some strained peas and applesauce in the kitchen."

"Sounds delicious," Daryl deadpanned. "You bring the beer, Ass Kicker? Huh?" Judith stared at Daryl with droopy, sleepy eyes and sneezed in his face. Daryl flinched, and Rick handed him a spit up cloth.

"By the way, she has a cold," Rick said with a sheepish smile. Daryl glared at him. "I'll be an hour. Two tops. Just have to go to this meeting with Deanna and Michonne, and hopefully it won't run long. If Carl comes home before me, just hand her off to him."

"Whatever. Just hurry up."

"Thanks Daryl." And then Rick was rushing off, and Daryl could have sworn he saw a little skip in his step. "Oh, and she needs changing!" Daryl grimaced and sighed, and Judith hiccupped and looked up at him .

"Yeah. Run along, punk." He thought good and hard about giving Judith all kinds of sweets and getting her all sugared up before Rick came back for her, but then he realized that he'd have to give her Carol's cookies, and Carol's cookies were too damned delicious to waste on getting back at Rick.

He brought the baby inside and looked around the living room at the pristine carpet and furniture. It was certainly not the most baby friendly of places. Judith had her own room upstairs, but he knew from hearing Rick put her down at bedtime that she hated the crib. She probably wasn't used to it. She was born in a prison and slept in a mail crate for the first several months of her life. And then after that, it was the open outdoors and a spot on the ground wrapped in whoever's arms she happened to fall asleep in on any given night.

Judith wriggled in Daryl's arms, and he put her down on the floor, sighing as he watched her crawl around and pull herself to stand by the coffee table. He contemplated exactly what he was supposed to do with a kid for a few moments. When she was a newborn, she was easy. She just slept and ate, but now she was an almost walking little person who could get into danger, and that worried him. Sure, they had walls now, they had a lot less to worry about than before, but she was so unsteady on her feet, and she had this innocence and this completely perfect expectation that if she fell, somebody would be there to catch her.

"Alright, Asskicker," he said with a grunt, plopping down on the floor and opening up the diaper bag. "Now you're gonna lay here and let me do this and not give me any trouble. Got it?" She stuck her tongue out in a silly grin, while Daryl helped her lay down on the floor. He grimaced as he got down to changing her diaper. "The hell did your daddy feed you?" The baby giggled and chewed on her fingers as Daryl worked. "Never changed a damned diaper in my whole life."

A little giggle came from behind him, and he heard the sofa creak. He peeked over his shoulder to see Carol leaning across the back. He eyed her for a moment.

"What? Ain't ya ever seen somebody change a diaper before?"

"Oh, plenty of times," she mused with raised eyebrows as she watched him lift Judith and pull the sticky tabs behind her. "Anything look…odd?" Daryl looked at Judith, who furrowed her brows at the unusual feeling of her diaper, and Daryl picked her up, turning her over in his arms before putting her back on the floor.

Carol moved around to sit on the floor across from Daryl, and she took Judith in her arms, turning her to to face her.

"The cartoons are supposed to be on the front, not on her butt, Pookie." She saw Daryl's cheeks go red.

"I knew that," he muttered, as Carol set about properly fixing his mistake. "You're good with her."

"Lots of practice," she said with a sad smile, remembering the days when Sophia was this little. "This is the good part." Daryl made a face. "I'm serious! You only get them this little for so long, and then they start growing up, and they think they don't need you as much. They think they can do everything by themselves, and you want to let them, because you want them to be independent, but at the same time, you're terrified, because you're losing your baby." She frowned and picked Judith back up in her arms and cradled her close. "You just want to keep them little forever."

Daryl watched as the frown faded from Carol's face when Judith giggled. She tickled the girl's tummy, getting another laugh out of her. And then Carol laughed. It was amazing the affect a baby's laugh could have on someone.

"You could have that again, you know?" he asked. She looked up at him, eyes widening just slightly at the meaning of his words.

"No," she said with a firm shake of her head. "No, I can't." His gaze slid over her features, watching the way her lip trembled. He wanted her to have whatever she wanted, and he wanted to give it to her.

"We're safe here."

"No," she said quickly, passing the baby back to him and scrambling to her feet. He felt like he'd been punched in the gut, like the wind was knocked out of him. She moved into the kitchen, and he looked at Judith, who smiled at him.

"C'mere, kid." He carried her over to the playpen and put her down. She fussed for a moment, before he handed her a stuffed animal out of the corner. Then he headed into the kitchen, where Carol was standing at the back patio doors, peering out into the yard.

He didn't know what to do with his hands, if he should put them comfortingly on her shoulders, if he should place them on her hips and pull her to him, if he should just pull her into his arms and hug her.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Wasn't thinkin'. Didn't mean to bring up painful memories." Carol turned to him, eyes wet with tears, but a smile tugged at her lips.

"You have no idea how much I love you." The words crept through his skin, soaked through his blood and wrapped around his heart like a comforting blanket on a cold day. She brought her hands to his face and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him softly.

When she pulled back, his hands tugged at her waist and kept her there. He leaned his forehead against hers before he dipped down to kiss her again.

"Love ya, too." She smiled against his lips, curling her fingers into the neck of his shirt. When she pulled back, her eyes sparkled. "Didn't think you wouldn't want 'em again after Sophia."

"It's not that," she said with a sad little smile. "I'd welcome it. I would. But I don't think I can."

"Why not?"

"Just...after Sophia, we tried again. And again. It just didn't work out. And then Ed became…well, Ed. And I didn't even want to try anymore." She gave a little shrug. "I made peace with it. And I'm happy here. With you." She kissed him again. "I don't need anything else."


	6. Chapter 6: Carol's Cookies

Chapter 6: Carol's Cookies

"Sure ya can. It's so easy. Just slip in, slip out. Nobody'll notice."

"No!" she laughed, as Daryl made that face that reminded her of a begging child. "I can't!"

"C'mon, you know it's my favorite."

"Daryl, I can't. Chocolate is like ammo to these people. They account for every little square. I can't do it!"

"But they're so good," he murmured, sliding his hands up her waist as he pressed into her from behind against the kitchen counter. She moaned softly, grinding against his erection. She gripped the counter top with one hand and dipped her finger into the bowl, collecting a sweet dollop of cookie dough onto her fingertip and bringing her hand back. She felt his mouth surround her finger, sucking it gingerly, sending sparks flying through her blood. She turned in his arms, and she leaned in, kissing the corner of his mouth as he continued sucking her finger. Her tongue met with his against her own finger, and she drew her hand away, wrapping one arm around his neck as he reached behind her, dipping his finger into the bowl before bringing his finger to her mouth. She licked the sweet sticky mess off of his fingers, keeping her eyes on his the entire time.

"Mmm," she hummed, as he picked her up and sat her up on the counter. "It's good." He leaned in, kissing her, the sweetness on their tongues mingling together, and Carol's hand began to wander down his chest.

"Yeah," he murmured, breaking away. "Still…it'd be better with chocolate." She gave him a playful thump on the chest and crinkled her nose at him.

"Alright. I'll sneak one square. It's the best I can do. And you'd better appreciate it, too." She winked at him, as his hands moved up her thighs and he leaned in to suck at the hollow of her throat, trailing his tongue against her skin. As his hands began to pull at the buttons of her shirt, she knew he was already thinking of ways to show his appreciation.


	7. Chapter 7: Exclusive

Chapter 7: Exclusive

"We really don't need a definition, do we?" Carol asked, curling up against Daryl as they lay together in bed. Daryl gave a little shrug but tightened his hold on her.

"All I know is that Tobin was lookin' at ya like…"

"Like what?" Carol asked, trying to suppress the little grin that was forming at her lips.

"Like…hell, like I used to look at ya before…ya know..."

"Oh, so you look at me differently now?" she asked, clearly teasing, but enjoying getting him flustered.

"Well, no. I mean, well, fuck." He ran his hand over his scruffy face, and Carol bit back a giggle. "It ain't the same. I mean…before I knew what you wanted. Before I knew what we were."

"And how did you look at me?" she asked, propping herself up to stare at him. Daryl sighed and leaned back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling.

"Hell, I don't know," he muttered, a frown creasing his face now. Carol chuckled and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"It's ok. I get it."

"You do?"

"Sure," she said softly. "Probably the same way I looked at you. I looked at you like if I looked away, you'd be gone and I'd never see you again. Like you were what I was walking toward. It scared the hell out of me."

"Yeah," Daryl said softly, letting out a sigh. "Somethin' kinda like that."

"So," Carol mused, running her fingers along his bare stomach. His muscles jumped anxiously under her touch.

"So, what?"

"How do you look at me now?" She wiggled her brows at him, and he thought for half a second before flipping her over onto her back, trailing his mouth down her neck and between her breasts. She gasped and ran her fingers through his hair.

"I look at ya like you're the only thing in my life worth somethin'. I'd do anything for you." His mouth enclosed over a nipple briefly before he kissed his way back up, finally placing a sweet kiss to her lips. "Don't ever wanna lose you."

"You've got me," she promised. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." She smiled and traced her fingertip along his jaw, sighing contentedly as she got lost in those mesmerizing blue eyes of his. "So…you want people to know?"

"Think they already do," he said with a shrug, "but not all of 'em."

"Ok," she said with a nod. "I'm just surprised."

"Why?" he wondered, capturing her lips with his for a brief moment.

"I just didn't think you'd want people to know; to look at us like they know."

"Don't really care what they think or how they look at us." Carol grinned at that and kissed him again before relaxing against the pillow.

"Ok," she said with a nod. "But you have no reason to be jealous of Tobin. I promise."

"M'not," he scoffed. "Just don't think it's right the way he's been eyein' you, s'all."

"Okay. So what do we tell people? We're going steady?" Daryl snorted at that.

"Boyfriend-girlfriend," he chuckled, getting a scrunched look from Carol.

"Dating," she offered with a shrug.

"Doin' it."

"You're gross," she laughed, kissing him as his fingers tickled her ribcage. "Lovers?"

"Sounds like a damn romance novel."

"Together. No, that sounds stupid."

"Courtin'?"

"Courting?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "You mean what young men used to do before asking a lady for her hand?" Her hand fluttered out, and he caught one finger between his teeth.

"Slow down, woman," he muttered, getting a snicker out of her.

"Relax," she teased. "I'm not fishing for a proposal." She pressed her lips against his once more before gently pushing on his shoulders. He rolled off of her and lay back against the mattress, pulling her into his arms. "Exclusive."

"Huh?"

"You're mine. I'm yours. It's simple."

"Exclusive." The world rolled around his tongue for a moment. "Yeah. Guess that works."

"Good, because I think the only thing we had left was fuck-buddy, and that didn't seem very appropriate." Daryl's face promptly turned six shades of red, before Carol flicked off the lamp and kissed his neck. "Night, lover."

Daryl choked, and they both folded into one another, laughing until exhaustion set in.


	8. Chapter 8: Birthday

Chapter 8: Birthday

"I ain't tellin'," he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow as he knelt in the dirt of the garden he was currently digging. Carol sighed and wriggled her bare toes through the cool dirt as she sat in a lawn chair next to him.

"You realize you're the _only_ one who doesn't have their birthday listed, right? I even got Abraham to tell me his, and he's almost as stubborn as you are. Almost." Daryl squinted at her, took a deep breath and went back to work. "You're not going to make this easy, are you?"

"Don't like birthdays."

"How can you not like birthdays?"

"'Cause they're all about celebratin' the time you're deadbeat parents got together and screwed around and made another person they couldn't take care of, 'cause they couldn't even take care of themselves." He spat, and Carol gaped at him.

"Gee, let me just go get Judith and have you ruin Christmas and Easter, too." He knew she was teasing, but he said nothing. "Daryl?"

"What?"

"You never celebrated your birthday growing up?"

"Sure I did," he muttered. "My mama always tried to make a big deal out of it, tried makin' up for the other 364 days a year she didn't give a shit. Hell, even my old man cut me some slack those days. Me and Merle always made a mess with the cake. Always turned into a damned food fight. We had fun. Even with mama and our pop." Carol smiled a little as Daryl opened up a little bit about his past. "But it's pointless. Just 'cause folks are nice to ya for one day a year don't mean shit. The rest of the year is what's important." Carol bit her bottom lip for a moment before she lowered herself to sit in the dirt next to him. She placed her hand over his, and he glanced up at her.

"Daryl?"

"Huh?"

"Why don't we make a new tradition?"

"Whaddya mean?"

"Well," she said with a glimmer in her eye, "how about you tell me when your birthday is, and I make sure you have something very nice to unwrap on that day."

"Nice?" he asked, his gaze shifting downward to where her nipples stuck out against the fabric of her tank top.

"Or naughty. Your call, birthday boy." Daryl snorted at that, but he wasn't about to say no to that offer.

"October 3rd," he muttered. Carol smiled brightly. "Don't want no parties. No gifts. Just you."

"I think I can arrange that," she promised, leaning in to kiss him before hurrying off to add his birthday to the list.


	9. Chapter 9: Green Eyed Monster

Chapter 9: Green Eyed Monster

Her name was Sarah, and she was all tits and teeth like some big screen bimbo. Ok, she was perfectly nice. Very friendly. Especially to Daryl, which was probably why Carol had visions of pushing the woman off the wall should she keep giggling and tossing her hair back the way she was as she touched Daryl's bicep. His bicep.

Carol narrowed her eyes, watching as Daryl made casual conversation with the woman. His body language showed he was comfortable but guarded, because this woman was one he hadn't really spoken to since arriving in Alexandria. She was a widow with two small kids, and from what Carol had heard as kitchen gossip, she was desperate to latch onto any man. And Daryl was a hell of a man.

The deep pull in Carol's belly was something new. She felt a bit enraged when Sarah's manicured fingernails scratched at her neck, just above where her shirt dipped toward her well-endowed chest. Daryl didn't seem to notice, which was reassuring. She knew he was a one-woman kind of redneck, but this was all new to her. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt like this in her whole entire life.

Sarah giggled again, and Carol groaned, rolling her eyes.

"You have to work out. Nobody gets arms like that without lifting," Sarah gushed, running a hand over his arm again. Carol saw Daryl flinch a little at the contact, and that's when she started over.

"Oh, hi, Carol," Sarah said with that fake Vaseline smile she'd seen on those cheesy swimsuit models that Ed liked to gawk at so much on the television.

"Sarah," she said with a pleasant smile and a nod. Carol linked her hand with Daryl's, and Sarah noticed, flinching as the realization hit her.

"Oh, uh, I think I hear my boys calling for me. We'll catch up later, huh?" She gave Daryl a wink, and Carol's appearing frown did nothing to mask her feelings toward the woman.

"What the hell was that?" Daryl asked. Carol cocked her head to the side, giving his fingers a squeeze.

"What do you mean?"

"You come over here just to hold my hand?"

"Did you tell her you're involved?" He could hear the teasing tone in her voice.

"You jealous?" he smirked.

"No," she pouted. "Ok, yes."

"You really think I'd go for somethin' like that?"

"Big boobs? A tight ass? Flirty?"

"Woman ain't got a damned clue," he snorted. "I like my women real. I like _you_." Carol bit her lower lip as Daryl leaned in to press a kiss to the corner of her mouth. "You gotta know that by now."

"I do know," she said with a little smile. "It's just…this is new. And we're around other people now. It's not just our group anymore."

"Don't care who's here. I know what I got," he said with a little smile, chucking her chin and bringing his mouth to hers. She sighed against his lips, and when he pulled back, she tugged on his hand.

"Where we goin'?"

"Home," she said with a smile.


	10. Chapter 10: Thong

Chapter 10: Thong

"Oh come on!" A peal of laughter echoed through the house. Daryl smirked at Carol as he leaned against the doorway. Carol had started unpacking the box of goods Daryl had brought home from supply storage. "You can't honestly expect me to wear this. I wouldn't be caught dead in this!"

"What?" Daryl asked innocently, crossing the room and taking the frilly, red lace out of her hands. "What's wrong with it?"

"First of all," she pointed out, elbows jutting out as she placed her hands on her hips, "I think there's more material in a Band-Aid. Second of all, I don't have the kind of body for that."

"Beg to differ," he pointed out, the smirk spreading over his lips. Carol rolled her eyes, and Daryl eyed the bit of lace once more.

"You're not gonna let this go, are you?"

"C'mon," he murmured, pulling her hips into his hands. She sighed as he pressed a kiss to her neck, running his hands down her back and over her ass.

"Alright. Alright. Just for you." Daryl chuckled as Carol pulled out of his grasp and moved to shut the bedroom door. "Turn around."

"Ain't nothin' I haven't seen before."

"Just _do _it." And he did. He could hear the rustle of her clothes, the slide of her cotton panties down her thighs. He was getting hard just thinking about her stripping behind his back and sliding that tiny red piece of lace up her legs. "Alright, turn around." Daryl turned, his gaze drifting down her body, expecting to see her wearing the thong, but instead, she stood there completely naked, her hands still on her hips.

"Holy shit," he murmured, his breath catching in his throat as she moved across the room, gently pushing on his chest. He sat down on the bed, and she straddled his hips, pushing him back against the mattress, kissing him heatedly, as his hands moved up her ribs and over her breasts.

"Told you," she panted softly against his mouth. I wouldn't be caught dead in it." Daryl gave her ass a little smack, causing her to squeal, before he kissed her once again, completely forgetting all about that little red thong.


	11. Chapter 11: Crickets

Chapter 11: Crickets

"Daryl!" Carol huffed in frustration after an hour and a half of his tossing and turning.

"What?" he grumbled, throwing the covers off of himself. "S'too hot."

"Well, turn the fan on, then."

"Then it's too cold."

"Well, I don't know what to tell you." She turned onto her side, burrowing her head under the pillow. Daryl frowned and flipped the bedside light on. Carol groaned and threw the pillow off of her head, sitting up, letting the blankets pool into her lap. "What time is it?"

"Four."

"God. Ok, I'll heat you up some warm milk."

"Don't like warm milk."

"Well, what _do_ you like?" she asked, her voice thick with frustration. Daryl smirked, and Carol rolled her eyes. "It's four in the morning. I think I'm getting a headache."

"Stop," he muttered, getting a little grin out of her.

"Alright. Alright. How about we open the window? Would that help?"

"Maybe," he murmured. Carol nodded, and Daryl got up and opened the window, letting in some fresh air. Carol sighed, relaxing back against the mattress as Daryl got back into bed with her. "Night."

"Night," she mumbled sleepily, puckering her lips groggily as Daryl leaned over to kiss her. He reached over her to turn the light off, and he finally settled back down against the bed. Just as Carol was drifting off to sleep, Daryl fidgeted again.

"What now?" she whined.

"Crickets," he muttered. "Sounds like a whole plague of 'em outside the window." Carol groaned and promptly reached for something in the bedside table. She handed him a small package. "What's this?"

"Earplugs."

"Why do you have earplugs?"

"I hate to break it to you, but you snore. Loudly. A girl has to get her beauty sleep, you know?" Daryl gaped at her in the darkness, and Carol let out a sigh, pulling the pillow back over her head. "Sweet dreams."

"Yeah," he muttered. "You too." He put the little wax ear plugs into his ears and settled down against his pillow. A few minutes passed, and then the bed shifted, and the light came back on.

"Oh God, Daryl. What?" She sat up, blinking and squinting into the light, and Daryl took the ear plugs out of his ears.

"Do I really snore?" He was answered by a firm wallop from Carol's pillow.


	12. Chapter 12: Ice Cream Sundae

Chapter 12: Ice Cream Sundae

"Oh God," Carol moaned, taking one scoop of the deliciously sweet treat she'd just made using an ice cream maker. Daryl watched the way she licked her lips as she gobbled up the ice cream. She was in heaven. "I think this is the best I've ever had."

"Careful," he smirked, getting an eye roll from her.

"Ice cream, Daryl," she teased. "Want a bite?"

"Never was a fan of ice cream."

"What?!" Carol asked, eyes wide. "You can't be serious."

"It's too cold."

"It's amazing! I mean, come on. You never got depressed and ate a whole tub of rocky road on your own?"

"No," he replied, furrowing his brows.

"Oh. Maybe that's just women," Carol giggled. "I remember when my high school boyfriend broke up with me, I went through like three tubs of mint chocolate chip. I don't know where I put it all." She took another bite, licking the spoon seductively with her tongue, eyeing Daryl and noticing the way he leaned forward as she savored the dessert. "Want a bite?"

"Nah."

"C'mon. It's _so_ good." She moaned softly as she took another bite. Daryl shifted from where he was standing against the counter. She knew he was getting worked up, and that was exactly what she wanted. "You know, ice cream is great for all kinds of things." She quirked an eyebrow, and Daryl made a choking sound in the back of his throat. "Try it."

Carol scooped up a bite for him and held the spoon to his lips. The ice cream was beginning to melt now, and it ran down the length of the spoon and over her fingers as he took the bite. And then he quickly took the spoon from her hand and tossed it into the sink before sucking down the length of her finger, lapping up every last bit of the sticky sweetness from her digit. She was moaning now.

Daryl pulled back finally before grabbing her hand and the bowl of ice cream.

"Come on."

"Where are we going?" she laughed, letting him lead her up the stairs.

"Find out what else this ice cream's good for." And the he was practically sprinting, dragging her up, and the last sound to echo downstairs was a yelp and a laugh from Carol as their bedroom door shut loudly behind them.


	13. Chapter 13: Clean Shave

Chapter 13: Clean Shave

Daryl stood at the sink in the bathroom of their house. He had more grey in his beard than he'd even thought about. But it was there. Nearly two years on the road had been tough on all of them.

"You just gonna stare at yourself all day?" Carol asked, peeking around the corner to see Daryl standing there with shaving cream in one hand and a razor in the other.

"Huh?"

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah," he said with a brief nod before he went to work, squirting the cream into his hand and lathering up his beard.

"You're shaving?" she asked, a bit surprised. She hadn't seen him with a completely smooth face since they were back at the quarry, and that seemed like two lifetimes ago.

"Yeah. That alright?" he asked.

"Sure," she said with a little nod. "I'm just gonna have to get used to your beard not scratching me when we kiss." She winked at him and moved past him into the bathroom. She sat down on the toilet and Daryl glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. She rolled up her pant legs, dampened a wash cloth, rubbed it over her legs and swiped his shaving cream and a razor.

"What're you doing?"

"Shaving," she said with a shrug.

"What for?" Carol snorted at that and glanced up at him.

"I don't mind a little bit of scratching from a beard, but you certainly don't want to cuddle up to a cactus tonight, do you?" He made a face. "That's what I thought."

"A little hair don't bother me. Long as you're naked, don't really care how hairy your legs are."

"Oh, that's romantic," she said with a mock swoon before grinning at him and going back to her work.

Daryl turned to lean against the door frame, watching her shave her legs, watching the lines of lather disappear with each swipe until every last bit of it was gone. Then she smoothed her legs down with the damp cloth and pulled her pant legs back down.

"There," she said with a nod, before she looked at him and burst out into giggles.

"What's so funny?" Sometime in the middle of Carol shaving her legs, Daryl had just completely stopped what he was doing to watch her. He'd managed to shave half of his face, so he stood there with half smooth-face, half scratchy beard covered in foam.

"Here," she said, reaching for the razor. "I'll finish it for you."

"Ya don't have to."

"I know," she said with a grin. She wiped off the smooth side of his face before pressing a kiss to his lips. He turned his face, getting shaving cream all over her. She squawked and laughed, and he pulled his arms around her waist. "Daryl Dixon!" Shaving cream dripped from her nose and chin.

"Looks good on you," he grinned. She took the shaving cream can in her hand, squirted out a big dollop and promptly deposited it on his head. "Oh, now you're just wastin' it."

"Looks good on you," she teased, before he grabbed for the can and promptly chased her out of the bathroom, following the echoes of her footsteps and the peals of laughter that warmed his heart.


	14. Chapter 14: Livin' in Sin

Chapter 14: Livin' in Sin

"Miss Carol?"

"What is it, Sam?" Carol asked, placing the last pie on the cooling rack. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand before moving to the sink to wash her hands. Daryl sat on the counter munching on left over apples so they wouldn't go to waste. The community kitchen seemed to be rampant with traffic today, and Daryl rarely visited Carol at work, so having him there along with the amusing little Sam was an extra treat today.

"Are you and Daryl getting married?" the precocious young boy asked, looking up at her innocently. Daryl choked and coughed, and Carol hurried over, slapping him on the back to help him breathe again. Sam's eyes went wide.

"The hell kind of question is that?" Daryl asked, taking a gasping breath. Sam cocked his head to the side as he watched them. "What're you starin' at?"

"The boy asked a question," Carol said, concern creasing her brow. "You ok?"

"I'm good," he muttered. "Kid needs to learn to mind his own business."

"Well, are you?" Sam asked, getting a glare out of Daryl. The boy snuck one of the apples and took a juicy bite before blinking up at Daryl.

"Sam," Carol chided.

"Well, I saw you guys kissing behind the kitchen, and you live together. My mom says the Christian thing to do when two people want to live together is get married."

"Not everybody believes that," Carol pointed out. "Just because two people live together doesn't mean they want to get married."

"So you don't want to marry Daryl?" Carol felt her face grow red as the attention turned to her. She looked up at Daryl who quirked an eyebrow and smirked. She made a face at him and reached into the cabinet, pulling out a bag of cookies.

"If I give you cookies, will you go home?"

"Ok!" Sam said with a wide-eyed expression. "Thanks Miss Carol!" He grabbed the bag of cookies and rushed off. Daryl snickered and Carol tossed a towel at him.

"What's so funny?" She eyed him as he turned the lock on the door, shutting them off from any further interruptions.

"You thought I was gonna be the only uncomfortable one. Looks like it ain't so funny when the tables get turned on you." Carol turned to wipe down the counter behind her, and Daryl hopped off the counter across from her. He moved up behind her, pressing into her from behind, pinning her to the counter. She moaned softly when she felt his hot breath against her ear. She turned to face him, and she leaned in, pressing a kiss to his lips, her hands trailing up his bare arms before she began to at his shirt. Daryl pulled back, a devilish gleam in his eye. "Better not."

"Why not?"

"Ain't the Christian thing to do."

"Stop," Carol laughed, swatting his arm. He grinned and put his hands on her hips, tugging her close.

"Whaddya say you clock out early, and we go home and keep on livin' in sin?"

"You're awful," Carol snorted, burying her face against his neck as he made a grab for the button on her jeans, slipping his hand down the waist band. Her laughter soon turned to moans, and all thought of work went right out the window.


	15. Chapter 15: Bra

Chapter 15: Bra

"Where is it?"

"What?"

"Daryl Dixon, you know perfectly well what I'm talking about. Now, where is it?"

"Dunno what you're yammerin' about, woman," he smirked from the edge of the bed where he sat wearing nothing but the sheet that covered his lap.

"I'm going to be late for work."

"Gotta make the casseroles, right?" he teased.

"Yes!" She stood there before him wearing just her panties , an ugly sweater in one hand, a pair of khaki pants in the other, her small but gorgeous breasts bouncing and swaying as she gestured emphatically with her arms. "I'll be late, and I need my bra!"

"You look in the drawer?"

"Yes, Daryl. I looked in the drawer. I looked on the bedpost where you put it last night after you pulled it off of me. I checked under the bed. It's gone. What did you do with it?"

"I ain't got no use for a bra," he snorted. "Damned things just get in the way, anyway." Carol narrowed her eyes at him and moved across the room.

"Well _I_ have a lot of use for one!" she huffed, seeing the smile spreading over his face as his gaze moved down her neck and to her breasts. "Don't do this to me."

"Do what?" he teased, his hand darting out to skim up her thigh. Carol sighed.

"Daryl, I can't be late."

"Why not? You're always early. Just takin' your time back, hmm?" His mouth was on her stomach now, and the sheet fell away as he pulled her in to stand between his legs. She unclenched her hands, letting her hideous outfit fall to the floor. She sighed softly when his mouth found her breast, and he gently tugged at the nipple with his teeth.

"Daryl," she moaned, her hands lazily running through his hair, effectively pulling him closer to her. She gasped softly as his tongue slid over her nipple. "Oh…" She yelped when he gripped her hips and pulled her down on the mattress, crawling over her, his hard against her thigh. "I can be a little late this morning."

"You sure? Wouldn't wanna ruin your perfect soccer mom routine."

"Yes you would," she giggled, as his mouth closed over her nipple again. She bit her lip and stretched her arms out above her, tucking them under the pillows. Her hand brushed over something lacy and white as Daryl began to kiss his way down her stomach. "Uh, Daryl?"

"Hmm?" His tongue was now inside of her belly button, and she yelped again as he nibbled at the flesh below her stomach just above the band of her panties.

"You didn't, by any chance, hide my bra under the pillow, did you?" Daryl looked up at her sheepishly as she pulled the garment out from under said pillow and flung it at his head.

"How'd that get there?" he asked with as innocent a voice as he could muster. Carol rolled her eyes as Daryl started to move off of her.

"Hey, hey! Where are you going?"

"Ain't you gonna be late for work?"

"They can wait. You better start what you finished." She grinned when his face brightened, and she settled back down against the mattress as he continued to kiss his way down her body.


	16. Chapter 16: Interruptions

Chapter 16: Interruptions

Daryl had a fascination with Carol's belly button. She didn't understand his fascination with it, but it probably stemmed from the fact that every time he ran his tongue around it, she moaned and bit her lip and came just a little closer to the edge.

They were sprawled out on the floor of their room, tangled up in each other and the bed sheet. Daryl was trailing kisses down her stomach, his teeth nipping at her belly button, getting those gasps out of her.

"That tickles," she giggled, when his fingers dug into her sides.

"You taste good."

"Me or the chocolate syrup you just drizzled all over me?" She raised an eyebrow at him. "You're the one who has to explain why the chocolate supply is running dry so fast."

"I'll think'a somethin'."

"You better," she teased, ruffling the hair atop his head. And then he was moving down. Lower. Carol's legs instinctively opened as he settled there between them. She lay sprawled out against the rug, bathed in the soft light from the fireplace. As erotic and intensely powerful this moment was, she'd never felt more loved. The way he took his time with her, the way he kissed the insides of her thighs before he tasted her, the way his hand lay protectively over her hip to keep her grounded as he began to love her all over again.

She whimpered softly as her breath hitched in her chest, and she bit her lip to quiet herself. She raised her hips, grinding against his face as he circled her clit with his tongue. She panted softly, feeling the wave take her under, arching her back, gripping the sheets in her hands.

And then the door opened.

"Daryl, have you seen Ca…holy-oh-fuck-I'm-sorry." And the door shut firmly. Daryl raised his head to catch the wide-eyed expression on Carol's face.

"What was that?" he asked, resting his chin on her stomach.

"I…think that was Rick. Looking for me." Daryl looked at the door and then back at Carol before he gave a little shrug and went back to what he was doing. "Maybe it was important!"

"As important as this?" he asked. And she really couldn't think of anything in that very moment that could have been more important.

"Just…lock the door next time, ok?"

"You got it."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: That Girl

"He was supposed to be back last night," Carol murmured, worrying the handle of her knife in her hand.

"You know Daryl," Eric chimed in, peering through the slats in the gate, his words confident but the tone wavering and just as worried as Carol's was. "And I know Aaron. If they got into trouble, they found their way out. They'll be home. They will." Carol sighed heavily, putting her knife away.

"It's been a week."

"I've seen him gone longer. Once, Aaron and I were gone for two weeks longer than we were supposed to be. Sometimes it happens."

"Two weeks?" Carol asked, feeling a tightening sickness in her stomach.

"Oh, I doubt it'll come to that. Come on. Let's stop this. Standing here at the gate and watching the road's not going to make them come any faster. Carol knew he was right, but she still lingered, peering through, thinking every few moments she could hear Daryl's motorcycle. She could almost picture him riding up the road toward the gate with Aaron's car right behind.

But the road was empty, save for a few deserted cars and a rabbit sniffing the ground for food. She sighed and turned.

"I'm not waiting here," she pointed out. Eric eyed her.

"Don't you want to be here when he gets back?" Carol frowned at that.

"Of course I do, but I also don't want to be _her_._"_

_"Her_?"

"Yeah. The girl who is so desperate to see the man she loves that she just flings herself into his arms the moment she sees him."

"Carol, honey, you _are_ that girl. He's just not here to be flung at yet." Carol smirked at that. "Trust me. The way he was looking at you when he left? He wants to be flung. Lots of flinging, I say."

"Are you guys talking about sex?" Carl asked, walking up with his sheriff's hat on. Carol spun on her heels.

"No!" He caught the tension in her voice, and he backed off.

"Alright. Good to know." He gave Eric a weird 'what's with her?' look before turning and heading off toward Enid's house.

"Carol, you have got to relax. You two should join us for dinner this evening, unless you're busy doing other things."

"Would you stop?"

"Hey, it's obvious. You guys are crazy about each other. The sex isn't exactly a secret since Aaron walked in on you two in the garage." Carol's face turned about six different shades of red. "It's a beautiful thing." He cocked his head to the side. "But you might want to find more comfortable places than the back of a motorcycle, because Aaron said it looked awfully uncomfortable."

"Oh God," Carol muttered, before Eric bumped her shoulder. She looked down at the spot he'd touched and she let out a laugh. "What?"

"Shoulder nudges. That's what I used to get from him. Shoulder nudges. And even then, I still wanted him desperately. Thinking back, it was kind of our foreplay." She blushed a little, not having intended to share so much with Eric, but he was easy to talk to.

"Sorry, I'm taken." Eric batted his lashes at her.

"Stop!" she laughed, truly letting herself smile this time. And just at that moment, the sound of a motorcycle echoed off the walls, and Carol turned her attention back to the gates just in time to see Daryl come flying around the corner with Aaron's car in full pursuit.

"Open the gates!" Carol called out. The gates began to creak open, and Carol caught herself as Daryl pulled the motorcycle through and stopped just a few yards away. She felt her heart aching already, and then one look at Eric leaning through the car window and giving Aaron a kiss was all she needed.

_The hell with it. I'm totally that girl_.

And she ran to him, flinging her arms around him as soon as he was off his bike, and he stumbled backward, chuckling as she buried her face against his neck. Then she was kissing him, her body pressed against his so tightly that he was already stirring in his pants. His hands moved down over her back and her ass, not exactly caring that they had an audience, because she felt so damned good in his arms.

"I'm glad you're home," she murmured between soft kisses and gentle caresses.

"God, it' s about time," Aaron muttered, leaning toward Eric as he watched from the car. "I think we broke the sound barrier getting back here."

"I invited them to dinner," Eric offered.

"They're not coming to dinner tonight."

"Oh," Eric murmured, a little disappointed.

"Oh, it's a good thing. Believe me," Aaron said with a big grin as they turned to watch the love birds finish kissing and join hands. "Maybe they'll get it out of their system tonight." They watched Daryl pull his arm around Carol, his hand on her ass as they spoke in hushed tones and headed back home together. "Ok, maybe not tonight. Let's just let them be." Aaron pulled himself out of the car and leaned against it next to Eric. Eric chuckled and nudged Aaron's shoulder. "What's that for?"

"Oh, nothing," Eric said in a sing-songy voice, before giving his love a proper welcome-home kiss.


	18. Chapter 18: Daryl's Song

Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Walking Dead.

Prompt by CarylWarrior.

Daryl's Song

"Come on. Just one. Please?" Carl begged, sounding more like the child he'd been at the turn rather than a thirteen year old boy.

"No! It's late. Everybody that lives elsewhere, needs to get out. Everybody that lives here needs to go to bed," Carol insisted. But the smile on her face betrayed her true feelings. They were having fun. It was probably the most fun they'd had since, well, probably since that night in the CDC when everybody was a little tipsy on wine.

"Dad did it. Michonne did it. So did I," Carl insisted. "We've _all _done it. Except Daryl."

"And I ain't doin' it, either," Daryl replied, taking a swig of whiskey. "Ain't enough booze in Alexandria to make me do it, neither." Daryl was wedged on the couch between Carol and Abraham, and Carl was right. Everybody had taken a turn at the microphone except for Daryl. Eugene and Tara had done a hilarious rendition of_ I Wanna Dance With Somebody_, somehow making it into a workable duet. Abraham had gotten drunk enough to get up with Aaron and sing _You Are the Wind Beneath My Wings,_ to which Rosita rewarded him with a big, sloppy kiss afterward. Carol had even gotten up and belted out a very out of tune version of _Piano Man_, to which Daryl had glared at anybody offering snicker when she went off key.

"Come on, Pookie," Carol chided. "If I can do it, you can, too."

"I bet you're a great singer," Tara offered.

"Don't sing."

"Not even in the shower?" Glenn asked, a shit-eating grin on his face as he reveled in his big victory of getting a standing ovation after perfectly remembering all of the lyrics to _Bohemian Rhapsody_ without even looking at the screen.

"C'mon, dude," Tara urged. "It's karaoke! It's fun! Just nut up already."

"Nut…what?" Daryl grunted, as the group howled with laughter.

"Perhaps Daryl isn't comfortable with the selection of music this game presents. Perhaps he would be more easily persuaded to participate if we played a song he's more at ease with," Eugene offered.

"Like what?" Rick asked, bouncing baby Judith on his knee.

"What you know about my taste in music, Mullet?"

"Did you just call him…oh God," Tara snorted, getting up. "Sorry. I have to pee." She excused herself, laughing as she made her way to the bathroom. Eugene was already up and going through the stack of CDs, fishing one out that caught his eye.

"Well, it just so happens that yesterday morning, before the sun came up, I happened to be taking a walking, and I heard some music coming from the corner room on the second floor."

"That's Carol's room," Michonne pointed out, as Carol and Daryl's faces both drained of color.

"Oh God," Carol murmured under her breath. Eugene popped the CD into the player, as Glenn turned down the sound on the karaoke machine.

"I just happened to see Daryl inside, and I would have hollered up a hello, but I realized he was not alone." He looked at Carol, who looked as if she wanted the couch to swallow her up. "They _both_ were enjoying the song, and if I may say so, way to go." He moved to push the play button, just as Carol and Daryl both hopped up from the couch.

"No!"

"Don't!"

"Gonna kick your ass, Eugene!" A familiar tune began to play, and while Carl crinkled his nose, the adults in the house absolutely lost it.

"_I've been really tryin' baby. Tryin' to hold back this feelin' for so long…." _The crooning words of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" began to play, and everybody went crazy. Carol fell back against the couch, cheeks red with embarrassment, and she tugged on Daryl's arm, getting him to sit back down next to her. Abraham clapped him on the back with a proud grin and shook his head.

"You dog."

Daryl's glare stayed focused on Eugene, who did a little dance to the music, holding his hand out for Tara to join him, which she did.

"I physically hate him. Like my hands want to break his neck right now," Daryl grumbled.

"It's ok, Pookie. Just remember." She leaned in close so only he could hear, "Tonight _I_ get to pick the song, ok?"

"Deal."


	19. Chapter 19: Imperfections

Chapter 19: Imperfections

"What are you doing?" Carol giggled as Daryl's fingers tickled over her ribs. He lay between her legs, his head resting on her stomach as she lazily pulled her fingers through his hair.

"Nothin'," he murmured, his stubble-covered chin scratching against her belly. She snorted as his fingers teased the undersides of her breasts. Then he was kissing her, tracing his tongue around her belly button, and she moaned softly. She then realized, when his fingers began to trace patterns along her stomach, exactly what he was doing.

"Stop." She swatted at his hand.

"What?" He looked up at her, quirking an eyebrow.

"I know they're ugly. You don't have to…"

"They ain't," he pointed out. "They're part of you." She sighed softly as he kissed her stomach, running his hands over her smooth stomach, fingers skimming over the pale white marks that traveled there, reminders that she'd once carried a life inside of her, that she'd been a mother. "Love every part of you."

His fingers traveled over her ribs, gently running over a couple of scars, scars she didn't talk about, scars he knew were from Ed's abuse. She had them on her back and her thighs, too.

"I used to hate my scars," Daryl murmured, placing a kiss to her stomach before scooting up to lay next to her on the bed. "'Til somebody convinced me they was part of me, part of what made me who I am." Carol smiled a little.

"I wonder who that was?"

"Name's on the tip of my tongue. Just can't quite think of it." She nudged his shoulder. He snorted and gave her a little peck on the lips. "Ain't nothin' but skin anyway, right?"

"Right," she mused, running her fingertips down his neck, feeling him tremble under her touch. He leaned in once more to kiss her, and she smiled.


End file.
